All three are powered by a quad-core Bay Trail processor

E FUN, a California-based purveyor of cheap Android and Windows tablets, is going to CES 2015 armed with three new Windows 8.1 tablets. When they become available later this year, these devices will all be part of the company’s existing Nextbook line of 2-in-1 tablets, the cheapest of which is an Intel Atom-powered 8-incher that is available right now for just $99.

New site helps MacBook users make the switch to Surface

Microsoft wasn't so brazen as to post a website trying to lure MacBook users to its original Surface products, including the Surface RT, a particularly forgettable product. But with the Surface Pro 3, Microsoft has hit a groove and come out with a product that, for some, is a tablet that can truly replace their laptop. With its new-found confidence, Microsoft has gone gunning for MacBook users with a new website to help them make the switch to Surface Pro 3.

Russell Wilson is no longer an Apple guy

Microsoft's deal with the National Football League to showcase Surface Pro 2 hardware during games got off to a rocky start when TV commentators and players alike repeatedly referred to the devices as iPads. That amounted to free advertising for the competition, for which Microsoft paid good money ($400 million), but that's all in the past. Furthermore, Microsoft's Surface deal with the NFL is winning over players, including Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who revealed a dark secret.

Save 30 percent today on Amazon's flagship tablet

Kudos to you if you can make it to the end of the year without anything but a bare wallet and depleted PayPal account. Anything else is a tall order with all the holiday sales -- it started with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, both of which were extended by most retailers, and continued with things like Microsoft's 12 Days of Deals, GOG Autumn sale, Steam Holiday sale, and so forth. And just when you thought the madness was over, Amazon has come out swinging with some tantalizing daily deals of its own -- today Amazon is offering is flagship Fire HDX 8.9 tablet starting at $299, a 30 percent savings over its regular selling price.

Another solid gift idea

You have to hand it to Microsoft for serving up some tantalizing offers as part of its "12 Days of Deals" promotion that's currently on its second to last day. There's been a little something for everyone, and today, that something is an HP Pavilion x2, a hybrid 2-in-1 PC that Microsoft marked down to $199 from its original price tag of $329. It's also a Signature Edition system, meaning there's no third-party bloatware.

All good runs eventually slow to a walk

Market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) believes the tablet market will see a "massive deceleration" in 2014 with annual growth only hitting 7.2 percent, down significantly from 52.5 percent in 2013. It will also be the first full year of decline in Apple iPad shipments, which are on pace to drop 12.7 percent in 2014 as Android and Windows devices cut into its market share.

HP's take on Microsoft's Surface design

HP's Envy x2 is back, only this time it looks less like a traditional laptop and is more powerful than before. Taking a page from Microsoft's Surface design, the Envy x2 now comes with a kickstand. HP is billing it as a detachable PC with mutiple modes, including an all-in-one mode (detached from the keyboard), notebook mode (attached to the keyboard), and tablet mode (detached from the keyboard and used as a tablet).

E Fun Nextbook will come with a 1 year Office 365 Personal subscription

Another ultra-cheap Windows 8.1 tablet is getting ready to join Microsoft’s ongoing assault on Chromebooks and low-end Android tablets. The 8-inch Nextbook from E Fun will be available at Walmart stores on Black Friday 2014 for as low as $99.99, Microsoft announced in a blog post Thursday.

Meet the iPad's nemesis

Tis the season of new tablet launches. First Apple rolled out its iPad Air 2, then Amazon announced a new line of Fire HD slates, and now Google is getting in the game with the Nexus 9, it's new line of Android 5.0 Lollipop tablets that are now available to pre-order from Google Play, Amazon, and Best Buy. Pricing starts at $399, which gets you the 16GB model with Wi-Fi.